Ava Max, Lakeyah, Grace Weber and more: 8 top Milwaukee music releases for August 2023

As Wisconsin gal Barbie continues to dominate the summer, Milwaukee native Ava Max is getting her own "Barbie" bump, with a track on the blockbuster movie's buzzy soundtrack. It's one of eight new songs, albums and EPs from Milwaukee artists you should check out for August, listed in alphabetical order.

'Beautiful Ghost' and 'So Simple,' Kitty Soft Paw

After releasing a trio of introductory power-pop singles last year, five-piece rock band Kitty Soft Paw returns with two more tracks. The do-good rocker "So Simple" is more in line with last year's releases, while "Beautiful Ghost" transforms from a bluesy rocker into a sunny '90s alt-rock inspired jam.

'Bradford Summer,' The Keystones and Vinyl Theatre

Combine two established Milwaukee rock bands and you get this breezy tune perfect for the dog days of summer, as if the Strokes decided to soak in some rays on a beach and write a tune.

'Choose Your Fighter,' Ava Max

She may have a song in her repertoire titled "Not a Barbie Girl," but Ava Max's caffeinated pop is a perfect fit for the "Barbie" soundtrack, with the short and sweet "Choose Your Fighter" seeing Max offering empowering encouragement over a relentless club beat. Word of warning: If you attempt to keep up with the beat on the dance floor, you might collapse.

'Emezov,' Wildered

Nate Bjorge and Joshua Miranda accomplish many mighty feats on their folk duo Wildered's debut album. An intoxicating, surreal introduction — aesthetically cleansing, like the best of Bon Iver — gives way to some stunningly intimate and powerful songwriting, with whispered, foreboding vocals for "Haven" drawing you in, before the deeply personal "The Tree" emotionally rips you limb from limb, as Bjorge sings of going through his late father's possessions and takes stock of his own struggles. And despite the synth-seasoned surge of "The Cure" that comes before it, you won't be prepared for the dizzying, delightful 180-degree shift that comes from "Go," with Wildered and guest artist Socials tapping into '80s synthpop with more emotional wallop than modern-day subgenre masters like Bleachers or the 1975. As if all this wasn't impressive enough, Bjorge and guest vocalist Isabeau Waia'u Walker join forces for a shockingly beautiful and moving acoustic cover of the Outfield's bombastic 1985 hit "Your Love."

'Intimate,' Grace Weber

From her collaborations with Chance the Rapper's creative team the Social Experiment for 2021's "A Beautiful Space," Grace Weber has been on a roll, making the best R&B of her 13-year career. But while the production for latest single "Intimate" is impressive, with a chorus of backing vocals and sweeping strings building up to a climactic crescendo, it's Weber's radiant vocals over subtle piano, bass and drums that shines over everything, demonstrating a continuing mastery of emotional phrasing alongside her long impressive technical prowess.

'SummerSkool,' Klassik

Klassik will never stop being a student — or giving anyone wise enough to listen to his music a lesson on keeping one's creativity alive. Despite clocking in at just about 16 minutes, the four-track "SummerSkool" is stuffed with ideas and impeccable execution, taking Klassik, true to form, to ambitious new terrain, from the interchangeably dreamy and sweaty House-influenced opener "4E&E" to stunning finale "Work2Do," with Klassik's croon and vocal twitches dancing atop irresistible R&B rock grooves.

'Want Em Hood,' Lakeyah

Compared with her unstoppable output the past few years, the Milwaukee-born, Atlanta-based rapper has been quieter in 2023. The dry spell ended with her first single this year "Add It Up," where a creative Giannis Antetokounmpo shout-out, and collaborations with DJ Drama and Kash Doll, were overshadowed by an appalling Jeffrey Dahmer reference. Fortunately, she didn't wait long to bounce back in a big way with "Want Em Hood," with some imaginative metaphors (Draco guns are among the visuals), a proud Milwaukee boast, catchy kid chorus and inspired early aughts Gorilla Zoe sample.

"Must-Hear Milwaukee Music" runs on or around the first of every month in the Journal Sentinel and at jsonline.com. If you have a new album, EP or song coming out, contact Piet Levy at plevy@journalsentinel.com for review consideration. Follow him on Twitter at @pietlevy or Facebook at facebook.com/PietLevyMJS.

This article originally appeared on Milwaukee Journal Sentinel: Milwaukee music releases for August 2023: Ava Max, Lakeyah and more